412 



TROPICAL AMERICA AND ITS ANIMALS 



South America (in addition to a host of species to which no reference is here 

 possible) possesses a representative of the blind snakes in Typltlops reticulatus ; 

 the group having a very wide geographical distribution. 



The above-mentioned bushmaster differs from most other pit-vipers in lay- 

 ing eggs instead of producing living young; a similar peculiarity occurring in 

 Tremeresaurus monticola of the Himalaya, as well as in the tropical African 

 vipers of the genus Atractaspis. 



The boas of South America are particularly interesting on account of present- 

 ing a remarkable parallelism in their geographical distribution to that of the pleuro- 

 diran or side-necked tortoises, the genera Corallus and Boa being common to tropical 



America and Mada- 

 gascar. On the 

 other hand, Epi- 

 crates, Trachyboa, 

 Ungalia, Ungali- 

 ophis, and Eunectes 

 are restricted to 

 the region under 



© 



consideration, in- 

 clusive of the West 

 Indies. 



Although the 

 anaconda is ad- 

 mitted to be the 

 largest of living- 

 snakes, consider- 

 able diversity of 

 opinion obtains 

 with regard to its 

 maximum dimen- 

 sions. Naturalists, 

 for instance, mostly 

 refuse to believe 

 that this snake ever 

 exceeds a length of about 30 feet, but travellers report much larger dimen- 

 sions — in one instance a length of no less than 65 feet. Till tangible evidence 

 of the existence of such monsters is forthcoming, naturalists will, however, be 

 well advised in maintaining their attitude of reserve. 



© 



Among the frogs and toads of the South American region the 

 most remarkable are the brilliantly coloured horned toads of the genus 

 Ceratophrys, the Brazilian representative of which is a huge creature. The 

 "jackie-toad" (Pseudis paradoxa), a Surinam species, is peculiar on account of its 

 very large tadpoles, which before they throw off their gills are almost the size of 

 the adults. The southern Brazilian pigmy frog (Paliidicolafalcip>es), which makes a 

 noise like a cricket, is one of the smallest of all frogs, being only about half an inch 

 in length. The large Darwin's frog (Rhinoderma darivini), of Chile, has a 



SURINAM WATER-TOAD. 



Frogs and Toads. 



